Pathfinder Player Companion: Undead Slayer’s Handbook (PFRPG)

Announced! Cover image is a mockup, and will change prior to publication.

Awesome.

well there goes undead superiority in golarion

fun while it lasted

I can't wait though shouldn't be undead destroyer not slayer since they are not really alive.

SOLD! :)

Meh...I am waiting for the Humaniod slayer book personaly...;)

Hmmm ... anything usable against against mummies?

I am, of course, referring to The Mummy's Mask AP. :)

CHANNEL SMITE CHANNEL SMITE CHANNEL SMITE CHANNEL SMITE

Will there be some good cleric and inquisitor love in this book?

equips whip

stocks up on holy water

assumes terrible posture

Let's do this.

cracks open old masonry looking for pork chops

Channeling inquisitors! Channeling inquisitors!

Interesting. I wonder if we'll be receiving a more powerful undead slaying archetype than the Inquisitor's "Vampire Hunter"? I would like NOTHING MORE than an Inquisitor archetype that can put down Undead with the Rejuvenation supernatural ability PERMANENTLY!

I'm still waiting to see an Undead Slayer Ranger archetype.

Awesome cover lovin it!

I'm still waiting to see an Undead Slayer Ranger archetype.

It's in the core book. One of the first archtypes, really. It's calle Ranger.

:)

Tirisfal wrote:

I'm still waiting to see an Undead Slayer Ranger archetype.

It's in the core book. One of the first archtypes, really. It's calle Ranger.

:)

You're totally right, but I'd love to see something special like the Vampire Slayer Inquisitor mixed with the Skirmisher Ranger, but with more specialized Hunter's Tricks for use against the undead. I've tried to build my own, but I'm not so good at the crunch behind the game.

Anyway, I'm super excited about this book :)

Tirisfal wrote:

I'm still waiting to see an Undead Slayer Ranger archetype.

It's in the core book. One of the first archtypes, really. It's calle Ranger.

:)

I think what he meant was a sort of Rangerish undead hunter with DIVINE-based POWERS (sort of a cross between a Ranger and the Hunter of the Dead prestige class of 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons).

Personally the Vampire Hunter archetype of the Inquisitor was a HUGE LETDOWN. Barely any cool divine-based abilities to put the hurt on undead. While the ability to do +1d6 points of damage to beings harmed by sunlight sounds nice and all that jazz, that alone doesn't make the archetype worthwhile.

So, yeah, we need some more divine OOMPH here Paizo. Abilities like Positive Energy Burst, Death Dodger, Undead Lore, Detect Undead (at will), and even an ability to make our intrepid undead hunter immune to an Undead's create spawn ability! Also, we'd love an ability to put down (for good) undead with that pesky rejuvenation ability!

There's a pretty damn good reason why intelligent undead should fear people who devote their lives to hunt them but by god so far you fine folks at Paizo haven't let us see it yet. Maybe this is where that will all change. I hope so.

If you have a vampire slayer archetype that doesn't make you immune to energy drain or the charm/suggestion/dominate abilities of vampires then you have nothing.

If you have a vampire slayer archetype that doesn't make you immune to energy drain or the charm/suggestion/dominate abilities of vampires then you have nothing.

BINGO! All we got was a Sun Strike ability (in a nutshell +1d6 to all bloodsuckers) and an ability to get a bonus on crafting silver/silversheen stuff. Not exactly the stuff of slaying legend (at least if you ask me). We need a better Undead Hunter/Slayer! One who specializes in putting vampires, liches, and grave knights down for good!

Just about to start up an undead heavy campaign for me and my girlfriend; I'm almost thinking I should wait so we can look at this first...hmm. Either way, looks awesome!

I can hardly wait for this book!

Product image and description updated.

Oh my god, I love the cover!

+1 on loving the cover!

Seelah with a bow ... that's new. And do I really want to know why a spectral horseman is galloping about indoors? :)

+1 on loving the cover!

Seelah with a bow ... that's new. And do I really want to know why a spectral horseman is galloping about indoors? :)

Likely has something to do with that "incorporeal" bit.

Very nice!

That is a nice cover and wow, a lot books got art/product updates today.

A lot of books got art/product updates today.

Glad you like—it's one of the highlights of my job. :D

One one had, it doesn't seem fair that Seelah keeps getting all of these awesome covers.

On the other, Seelah is awesome and this cover is just more proof of that.

Wow, this actually makes me really sad that my Carrion Crown campaign will likely be finished by the time that this book is released... it looks like it would be a great resource.

Beckett wrote:

Tirisfal wrote:

I'm still waiting to see an Undead Slayer Ranger archetype.

It's in the core book. One of the first archtypes, really. It's calle Ranger.

:)

I think what he meant was a sort of Rangerish undead hunter with DIVINE-based POWERS (sort of a cross between a Ranger and the Hunter of the Dead prestige class of 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons).

Personally the Vampire Hunter archetype of the Inquisitor was a HUGE LETDOWN. Barely any cool divine-based abilities to put the hurt on undead. While the ability to do +1d6 points of damage to beings harmed by sunlight sounds nice and all that jazz, that alone doesn't make the archetype worthwhile.

So, yeah, we need some more divine OOMPH here Paizo. Abilities like Positive Energy Burst, Death Dodger, Undead Lore, Detect Undead (at will), and even an ability to make our intrepid undead hunter immune to an Undead's create spawn ability! Also, we'd love an ability to put down (for good) undead with that pesky rejuvenation ability!

There's a pretty damn good reason why intelligent undead should fear people who devote their lives to hunt them but by god so far you fine folks at Paizo haven't let us see it yet. Maybe this is where that will all change. I hope so.

Think the Undead Stalker from the 3.5DMG if your playing a home game it is very easy conversion also

Hopefully the book will have some love for the classes that are not iconic undead hunters. Paladins and clerics for example need few. But figthers, bards and/or druids woudl benefir from some love here.

Will there be a hammer and stake TWF style feat?

Will there be a hammer and stake TWF style feat?

BINGO!!!!!

I'd been wondering for some time about what the use of onyx in necromancy would mean for the legality of the onyx trade, and I'm happy to see exactly that addressed on the inside back cover. :D

Does a character with the Child of Wati trait but no levels in a class that can channel positive energy gain that class feature at level 1?

1. That centerfold is awesome. Really loving that developing into a trend for the Companion line. :D

2. I really want to play a Castlevania-clone with the iconics now.

2a. Merisiel and Sajan will require a double-jump ability.

2b. Voting Imrijka as primary Belmont-analogue.

1. That centerfold is awesome. Really loving that developing into a trend for the Companion line. :D

2. I really want to play a Castlevania-clone with the iconics now.

2a. Merisiel and Sajan will require a double-jump ability.

2b. Voting Imrijka as primary Belmont-analogue.

3. Obligatory hammy dialogue with the vampire BBEG before rolling initiative .

As expected, this companion has a LOT of material that doesn't translate well outside of undead encounters. It was something of a problem with the Dragonslayer's Handbook, but I suppose it's less of a problem here because undead are a MUCH more common foe than dragons.

That said, there are some gems here.

For example, Bless Weapon and it's associated feats. Your cleric gains the ability to spend uses of channel energy to bless a weapon, armor, or a shield with a special weapon ability. Spend one use? Give a weapon holy, unholy, axiomatic, or anarchic. Spend more? There are more abilities to choose from, and there are even rules that upgrade masterwork weapons into magical ones. The bonuses are very short-lived, but it's an awesome idea that I adored.

The other gem in this book is a new feat called Weapon Versatility. It requires a BAB of +1 and Weapon Focus. As a swift action, you can change whether the weapon of your weapon focus deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage by "adjusting your grip on the weapon." There are a couple weapons that this seems a bit confusing with. (I.E., how does a club/quarterstaff deal slashing damage?) Overall, this is a VERY cool feat that is worth pulling from the book.

In terms of archetypes, there's an awesome exorcist archetype that gives your cleric very iconic exorcist-type abilities from the movie of the same name. There's also a medium witch archetype that allows her to commune with an intelligent undead in new and interesting ways. There's also a new Prestige Class themed after the clerics and wizards of Nex who are specialized in fighting the undead hordes of Geb.

Overall, this is a cool product but I don't think it's as much of a "must-own" as Champions of Balance or the Alchemy Guide.

In terms of archetypes, there's an awesome exorcist archetype that gives your cleric very iconic exorcist-type abilities from the movie of the same name. There's also a medium witch archetype that allows her to commune with an intelligent undead in new and interesting ways. There's also a new Prestige Class themed after the clerics and wizards of Nex who are specialized in fighting the undead hordes of Geb.

No Undead Slayer archetype/prestige class for Rangers or Inquisitors?

Corpse Hunter for Rangers, but I guess they figured since Inquisitors already have one or two...

Someone care to spoil the medium a bit?

Corpse Hunter for Rangers, but I guess they figured since Inquisitors already have one or two...

Ok, I guess I'll have to make up to this by myself, since Wayfinder #12 is going to have mummies and pyramids... *sighs and goes to write the Sepulcher Inquisition*

Very nice information!

Aw, I hoped for an undead hunter gunslinger archetype

So no paladin related stuff. So paladins get squat for as both demon and undead hunters.

So no paladin related stuff. So paladins get squat for as both demon and undead hunters.

Didn't Ultimate Magic already bring the Oath against Fiends and the Oath against Undeath, even aside from paladin smites already being extra deadly to evil outsiders and undead? Not to mention a host of immunities useful against both? I'd say paladins are already pretty well equipped against both?

Still a few feats or new uses of lay on hands against undead would have been nice.
Ultimate magic was the only book to give paladins good stuff, ultimate combat gave some badly written archetypes and a bad multiclass feat.

There's also a new Prestige Class themed after the clerics and wizards of Nex who are specialized in fighting the undead hordes of Geb.

Would that be the class that went up on the PFSRD as the Soul Warden? Because if so, it looks extraordinarily useful in any undead-focused campaign. It's even a very good option in a non-undead campaign, because not only do you get full spellcasting progression, full BAB and channel energy, you also get some extra non-arcane spells on your list, and benefits for undead that you conjure up yourself.

All that, and you only need to be non-evil, put 5 ranks into Knowledge Religion (which a wizard probably has ranks in anyway, what with all the skill points from a high INT score) and have a Command Undead spell in their spellbook.

Good for wizards, especially good for eldritch knights who need a second class (full BAB and full spellcasting is better than the EK chassis outright, and this PrC gets more and generally better class features on top), and good for undead hunters.